


After-party

by Mitsuboshi



Category: THE iDOLM@STER, THE iDOLM@STER: SideM
Genre: Gen, Mentions of another money loving idol, S.E.M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 01:02:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12900636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mitsuboshi/pseuds/Mitsuboshi
Summary: After celebrating his birthday at home with Rui and Michio, Jiro wakes up in the middle of the night to find it long over. Before he can go back to sleep, the former science teacher briefly reflects on what life has brought him and what it might bring ahead.





	After-party

Finding himself in the dark, Jiro Yamashita fluttered his eyes a bit, trying to gather his thoughts. A low groan escaped his mouth, bringing a hand to his forehead to wipe away the sweat. Hot nights like this didn't do him any good, and the small electric fan in his room hardly gave him any comfort. He shifted to his side, trying to remember what happened before he passed out. The former science teacher vaguely recalled Michio and Rui carrying him off to bed, right after he fell asleep during his party.

Party....

The recollection hit him like lightning, and he instantly remembered his birthday. Well... it  _ was _ his birthday. Or did it not pass yet? Jiro considered getting his phone to find out the time, but laziness ensured that the idea was doomed to fail. Where did they even put his phone, anyway? He really should just go back to bed. Tomorrow would be another eventful day, and if he didn't get enough rest, he could already envision himself as a giant mess sprawled on the floor during their lesson. Yet... when he tried to close his eyes, sleep wouldn't come to him. Jiro pondered if counting sheep might help him. 

“As if,” he said to himself, shrugging off the idea. Already feeling his efforts going nowhere, Jiro sat up from his futon, stretching his body as he got ready to stand up. Maybe getting a drink might help things out. 

Jiro flicked on the light switch and slid open the kitchen door, bringing him out of the darkness. After taking a moment to adjust his eyes to the harsh light, he reached into the dishwasher and pulled out a cup (some weird cup with a mascot Rui gifted him), then poured himself some water before heading back to the main room. Plopping himself down on his futon, Jiro took a sip of water, a small form of relief washing over him as the cool liquid rushed down his throat. Might not be the magic pill to make him fall back to sleep, but it still felt good.

He marveled a bit at how clean everything looked compared to how it was hours ago: he had his table set up, occupied with cake and plates, while a hodgepodge of Michio’s cooking and beer cans were scattered across the floor around them. Not like they went wild or anything... except when Rui tried singing happy birthday, in English, to all of Tokyo from Jiro’s balcony. Yet as it stood now, the table was tucked neatly in the corner, along with the blue folding chair he had sat on. Not a single trace of garbage could be seen, too. Even his assortment of newspapers and magazines were arranged into a neat pile on his entertainment center. It was like their tiny party never took place. 

“Guess I have Hazama-kun to thank for keeping things tidy,” he mused. It didn't strike him until now, but he realized that he had his pajamas on. And certainly he didn't change himself before falling asleep. “Don't tell me they dressed me for bed too....”

Awkward implications aside (he could bet that Rui insisted on doing it), Jiro looked up at the clock, remembering the question he originally had on his mind. The hands pointed to 2:19, immediately giving him the answer. 

“So, birthday's over after all.”

Still holding his cup idly, Jiro glanced over at his entertainment center. Several envelopes were laid out next to his Maneki-neko figure. Some opened, some still tightly sealed. The pile of presents sent to the office by fans astonished him (more presents than he ever received in his life). So big of an amount, in fact, that he didn't want to put in effort to lug it all home with him. The only thing he brought back were the letters.

Admittedly, getting letters from his old students felt out of the blue. He could recall saying his goodbyes to them, not showing a big fuss over ending one chapter of his life, and starting a new one. Even if the formation of S.E.M was for their students’ sake, Jiro never thought so many would remember him once they started the idol gig. 

Or rather, he never thought that they would remember Jiro Yamashita the science teacher: the guy who went about each lesson day-to-day at his own pace. True, he didn't possess the energy Rui had, or the passion Michio held within his stoic exterior. Those two would certainly leave more of an impression after they left teaching behind. But here he was: the students, now his fans, sending him greetings for his birthday. Still looking over the envelopes, Jiro sat his cup down and picked one of them up. It was a little larger than the others, and still unopened as well. His fingers pressed against the surface, and briefly wondered if the thickness meant that the sender included money in it. 

“Yeah right,” he chuckled, shaking his head. Another thought buzzed in his mind though: if this was sent by another old student or not.

Only one way to find out.

Slowly tearing into it, Jiro opened the flap and pulled out the letter.

 

_ Dear Yamashita-sensei, _

_ Hi! Do you still remember me? It's Ako Tsuchiya! It's been awhile, but I made extra sure to write you this time after Sakura and Izumi reminded me. You remember them too, right? Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful birthday! It's still crazy to think that not just you, but Hazama-sensei and Maita-sensei are idols just like us! Izumi was like “NO WAY!” and Sakura and I kept laughing when we first saw Hazama-sensei doing poses on stage. Even if he's not teaching anymore, he's still the same passionate guy we knew in class, and being an Idol seems like it really suits Maita-sensei a lot. Honestly I didn’t think you'd join them, so out of you three, we were really shocked to see you dancing and singing up there. No offense, hehe~ But seeing you all go from teachers to idols is just amazing! Have you made a lot of money yet? Are you still gonna try to buy that fancy mansion you always talked about? I haven't given up on striking it rich myself! I hope one day our unit, New Wave, can perform on the same stage as S.E.M! Until then, I’ll do the best I can to make you proud! Continue to have awesome birthdays, and I hope you make a ton of money to boot! _

_ Your best student, _

_ Ako  _

_ P.S. Show that photo to Maita-sensei and Hazama-sensei too! _

 

Jiro set the letter down, a small sigh escaping his breath. “Ako Tsuchiya....” 

It took awhile to remember who some of his students were after reading their letters. Ako, however? That name alone sparked near-vivid memories of the ambitious young girl asking him about horse races after class. Not to mention his insistence to her about keeping that quiet on campus. Or endlessly probing him for details on get-rich-quick schemes. As turbulent as those times were, Jiro’s lips curled into a smile.

“Still can't shake you off, huh?”

He noticed the P.S. at the bottom, and discovered the photo she mentioned still in the envelope. Jiro carefully slid it out and examined it: Ako, along with the childish Sakura Muramatsu and much more mature Izumi Ohishi, all posed together in front of a lively, crowded background. All three of them looked quite cheerful. Behind them, a very jolly Rui stood at the center. He flashed a peace sign while showing off the biggest grin. To his right, Michio stood uniformly stoic in contrast, yet he gave his own contented smile. Lastly on the left he saw himself, being pulled closer by Rui as a weird, dumbstruck expression defined his features. 

“Good grief,” he whispered to himself. “This was during the school festival, huh?”

Amazing how that moment wasn't even from long ago. The Jiro of yesterday was just an ordinary science teacher. Now the Jiro of today was an idol on the rise. He still didn't have that fancy mansion though....

The thoughts of a lavish lifestyle made Jiro look over the small confines of his studio apartment. This place he called home had been so for years now. One only needed to open up the front door, and they'd practically see everything that there was to see. No fine marble statues, no fancy architecture, no grand staircases leading to multiple floors filled with flashy belongings and other aspects that showed off such wealth. 

No. Someone who walked in right now wouldn't find a mansion, or a fine man dressed in the best suit money can buy. Just a disheveled man in his pajamas, standing in a box of a home. 

He could do without this place. But that didn't mean he hated it.

Jiro’s train of thought shifted, and he recalled the countless nights he spent here with Rui and Michio. He recalled the late nights they were over, alternating between eating food he cooked and whatever snacks or convenient store food Rui brought, gathered around his small table as they chatted about many things: small encounters, horse racing woes, English words, ways to encourage their students, the weather, and more recently, difficult idol lessons, entertainment jobs, and body aches. A lot of time spent being productive, and other times just lazing about after having one too many beers.

Other than the rest of 315, it had been those two who occupied this space on a constant basis. Like they were family. They came and went as they pleased, but he knew they would always return. Unlike the people who brought him into this world as quickly as they left it.

“....Don't worry about me,” Jiro suddenly spoke aloud, reassuringly. He didn't understand why. “I got those two to watch my back.”

He had no reason to doubt Rui and Michio. The challenges they faced, both as teachers and as idols (while often a pain to deal with), brought them closer together. He had been swept up in their passion which propelled him to new heights that he might not have reached alone. His thoughts shifted again, this time to their many auditions -- failed auditions -- to be idols, until they landed in 315 Production. From there, he thought about S.E.M and their tacky costumes, their first live, the lights shining from above the stage, the sweat rolling down their faces, the glow of countless penlights waving in the darkness as they sang and danced. Then finally, the roaring cheers heard after a stunning performance. All of it made something swell in his chest: pride. S.E.M achieved so much in such a short amount of time, shooting their way towards being top idols. Each live ahead would make that a reality.

At that moment, he started moving away from thoughts about the present, and slowly drifted towards thoughts about the future. A small frown formed on his face. The pride he felt began to diminish, and in its place a cloud of uncertainty.

Where would he be next year? In five years? Ten? Would they still talk about the same things? Would they talk about them here? Or in the mansion he envisioned many times before? Would S.E.M ultimately succeed in inspiring the youth? What about the other facets of his life? How much would change? How old would he be before hitting the bucket? What would he find in the afterlife? Did an afterlife even exist? 

Feeling himself fall deeper into a void, Jiro shook his head, trying not to overwhelm himself with too many questions. No use in wasting energy thinking about it. A man like himself needed to take things one step at a time. Except, one question stuck to his mind:

When the day S.E.M ceases to exist, would Michio and Rui continue to be together with him in the years ahead?

Jiro fell back on his futon and stared at the ceiling. He realized he still had the photo in his hand, and gave it another look. 

“Give me a break,” he chuckled to himself wirly. “When did I get so sentimental?”

Only Michio could calculate how many years they'd still be idols. But if he had to make his own estimation, Jiro believed they weren't going anywhere any time soon. No doubt S.E.M would continue going strong next year. And the year after. They still had so much to accomplish.

There were countless doors open to them, even when many seemed to be closing as time went by. But any door they step through, any path they decide on as idols and beyond, they would do it together. 

Jiro looked at the picture one last time before setting it aside on the entertainment center. Enough questions for the night. He took a deep breath before standing up, and walked a few steps towards his metal shelf, discovering his phone had been put away on the mid-level. He briskly snatched it, then headed over to the light switch and flicked it down. Once more, darkness surrounded him. Jiro laid back on his futon, stuck his phone under the pillow, and tucked himself in. It was almost three in the morning, and he'd be in for absolute hell if he didn't get enough rest.

For tomorrow, he considered writing back to his students. Especially Ako. They put in effort to remember him, after all. Maybe suggest to Michio and Rui to write letters of their own. Satisfied with the idea, Jiro closed his eyes, eventually feeling exhaustion starting to take it’s course. As thoughts were turning hazy, a stray memory made him snap awake.

He recalled something he said at his birthday party. Or tried to say, at least. But he fell asleep before finishing. If he were his normal, lazy self, Jiro wouldn't bother doing anything, and leave them to figure the rest out. They were smart enough to do it. This time, he felt compelled to finish what he started.

Grabbing his phone, Jiro started composing a message to Rui and Michio. Those two would most likely be asleep still when he sends it, but he’d forget again if he didn't write it out. Finishing off the last word, he quickly tapped the send button and put the phone away. Content, he shut his eyes again, and not long after he fell back to sleep. 

When Rui and Michio would wake up later, they would find one new message awaiting them.  
  


**I fell asleep before I could finish saying this, but becoming idols with you two was the best thing I could have ever done. Thank you guys. Thank you.**

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this on his actual birthday, but I haven't been able to finish it until now. Whoops. But I was compelled to write after reading his birthday lines for this year. If you're not sure what I'm refering to, these are the lines in question: https://twitter.com/SideM_Eng/status/903469273036632067
> 
> S.E.M is a really heartwarming unit, and I hope they continue to be successful in the years to come!


End file.
